What’s your Why?
Yoga Alliance Registered 200 Hour Yoga Teacher School and Certification Program.
Longest running, highest rated, most comprehensive program in the area.
Why do you want to do a Yoga Teacher Training
I only have one life. I want to live meaningfully.
When was the last time you asked yourself, what do I want to do with my life? Am I happy? What do I need to do to live the life I dream of?
For most of us, it’s been a long time. We simply don’t have the time and space in our busy lives to press pause.
The Yoga Teacher Training gives you time, attention and a structure to make the life you want to live. Whether that’s through teaching, a more fulfilling career, or just daily living, our Yoga Teacher Training will change your life.
I love yoga and I want to teach it.
This morning, a student who has been doing yoga three times a week for a year said to me, everything is better when I do yoga. I need to do more.
I felt the same way when I took on teaching. I could not believe how much yoga had done for me and I needed to share that with other people.
For me and for many trainees, it’s also because we see a need in our community that we want to help. Prior to opening the studio, I worked in behavioral health and wanted to help clinicians, and people with mental health and addiction problems. Once I was a breast cancer survivor, I wanted to share yoga with breast cancer survivors because my practice was so vital to reshaping my life during that time. A large percentage of our trainees are teachers or healthcare providers. Most of us have been through something hard in our lives, and yoga has helped make us better. We want to give that back.
It’s a combination of things
Ready to get started?
Apply here.
“I was in the habit of allowing my age define me, but Sara encouraged me, not only putting to rest my fear of being “too old” but allaying my worry that I didn’t have the flexibility or mobility that I perceived I needed.
I made wonderful friends and beyond that, a strong sense of a supportive community during my Shine experience. And my self-confidence and physical abilities have expanded way beyond what I thought was possible.”
-Barb W.
Why hybrid and what does that look like?
There are a few reasons our program is hybrid.
We were set to start our YTT program for the 2020 class, a week after the shutdown.
We were forced to go virtual and to our surprise, a lot of things were better. I would never certify Yoga Teachers without an in person element, but the two together work the best.
In-person elements allow us to
Work with all sorts of bodies, personalities, ability levels, and experience levels.
Apply knowledge and get hands-on in situ feedback—the best way to learn.
Practice presence, voice, tone, and interaction with students.
Learn from each other and build deep friendships of care, vulnerability, and trust.
Virtual elements allow us to
Break up information into smaller pieces. Traditional YTTs are 10 hours of content a day on weekends or over a month. No one can learn and retain information over that stretch of time. It’s irresponsible.
Our YTT is content-heavy. Having a lot of that content online allows you to learn when it’s best for you. You can review it until you get it, and then we use our in-person time for application.
Have a hub of information that is organized. We tie experiences over the course of the training—classes, posture clinics, resources that come up, and home practice assignments—directly to the content we are studying.
Support students who are shy, or uncomfortable speaking in public. Our book club discussions are live-streamed, which allows for more dynamic discussions.
It’s yours forever. So many students graduate from a YTT program and then don’t teach. One of the reasons we have such a high rate of success is that graduates can go back and review sequencing, cues, thumbing, and a ton more.
What support do I have after I am certified?
Mentorship
Any students graduate from their YTT program wanting to teach, but not knowing how to take that first step. We are committed to supporting you and building a strong Yoga Teacher Community.
You will have the opportunity to teach benefit classes at the studio once you graduate from our program, receive guidance pre and post graduation on professionalism and working as a yoga teacher, and will be given constant support directly from Sara whether you have a question about how to promote yourself or need a reference.
While there is no guarantee and few teaching spots available at Shine, we only hire graduates of the foundational YTT as Shine teachers.
Online Content is Yours Forever.
Our program is hybrid, which means you learn some of the content on your own through prerecorded videos and your manual, some of the content through live streamed videos and some of the content in person. One of the great benefits to students after they graduate is access to the online content which includes anatomy and technique lessons, classes demonstrating what you learned, philosophy, and 45 posture clinics forever. Alumni report using this resource frequently to remind them of techniques, sequencing strategies and cues, once they start teaching.
Alumni Community
We have an ongoing weekly book club for Yoga Teachers, and a special monthly class and gathering to keep our community strong. It’s also just a special group. The YTT is a tremendous achievement that you do together and support each other through. The result is lifelong, deep friendships.
Ongoing Training
Shine is a registered Continuing Education school for Yoga Teachers and provides trainings throughout the year. We also have a year long mentorship program for graduates that meets the 300 hour advanced teacher training requirements and three Advanced Yoga Teacher trainings per year.
“At first, I was not 100% confident participating in a yoga teacher training, I didn’t have a life-long yoga practice or too much background knowledge about yoga. I didn’t know the names of all the poses.
My experience with Shine Yoga’s YTT was unique and beautiful, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Sara is a brilliant, compassionate teacher and Shine is a safe space for all types of yogis.”
All the Details.
Curriculum, Approach, Time Commitment, & Expectations
The Curriculum and Approach document is the best way to really learn about the program all in one place.
We promise you that you will get a lot out of this program, but you also have to put a lot in. The commitment and expectations document lets you know exactly what will be asked of you.
Time Commitment
The program is 200 hours in total. The total number of hours is comprised of the following:
All students will meet in person together for a total of 69 hours. This time includes our initial weekend, weekly studio time, a monthly book club meeting, and all student’s practice teach.
Cadre meeting time. You will meet with your smaller group for 30 hours.
Posture Clinics make up 25 hours
Virtual Lectures make up 30 hours
Home practice and reflection makes up 30 hours—approximately two and a half hours per week.
Reading time makes up the remainder of the time.
Schedule
You will notice that the schedule includes “Cadre 1,“ “Cadre 2” and, “All Students.” We have found that students learn best and develop the deepest friendship and trust of each other when they learn in small groups, but in yoga, being able to hear and teach many different people is also a benefit.
The smaller groups, or cadres, also allows for more schedule flexibility. You will need to commit to attending “All Students” times. You will also need to commit to either “Cadre 1,” or “Cadre 2.” You will be expected to attend the cadre you choose, but if you need to move to the other cadre for a session or two due to a scheduling conflict, illness, or other issue, you can.
NOTE: THE SCHEDULE DOCUMENT BELOW WILL TAKE YOU TO A GOOGLE DOC THAT HAS THREE TABS AT THE BOTTOM FOR THREE SEPARATE PAGES.
Online Platform and Set Up
Unlike the more traditional in person approach, the hybrid option lets you know exactly what you are getting into and how the course will be laid out. Once you enroll you will have access to the content, but until then, you can see what the structure will be and what we will cover.
Financial Commitment
The cost of the program is $3000 total, including a $500 deposit to reserve your spot.
Payment Plans are available and include:
$250 per month for 10 months after $500 deposit
$313 per month for 8 months after $500 deposit
$417 per month for 6 months after $500 deposit
4 payments of $625
2 payments of $1250
We accept Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Independent Health Debit Cards. We do charge standard interest for the payment plans to recoup the costs of providing plans.
Application Process
The first step is to fill out the application form. Next, you will meet with Sara via zoom or in person at the studio. This is a chance for Sara to tell you more about the program and for you to get a sense of whether it’s a good fit for what you need right now.
It also helps a lot of interested trainees to clarify why they want to do the program and what they hope for.
While we do usually get more applicants than we have space for, this isn’t a high-pressure interview! It is more for us to get to know each other better and make sure our program is the right choice for you and for us. It’s a big commitment, so we want to take the time upfront to be sure it’s the right one.
Still not sure if this program is right for you?
Text or email Sara to set up a meeting or just chat more.
Text: (716) 222-0195
Email: sara@shineyogawny.com
“ Sara (founder/owner) leads the program through the quality of her excellent character. Being part of the Shine Yoga Teacher Training Program in 2020 was a memorable and life-giving experience. Sara in natural born leader, teacher, and inspiration. As a powerful instructor, Sara packages her knowledge and expertise in relatable way that is generous and delivered with care and support.”
-Jenni S.
“Yoga isn’t magic. It’s knowledge, technique, and dedication. And, well, a little bit of magic.”
-Sara, Shine Founder and YTT Trainer
Meet Your Teacher
Sara is an Experienced, Registered 500 hour Yoga Teacher (ERYT-500) several times over. She is also a certified Therapeutic Yoga Specialist, and Yoga4Cancer teacher.
Sara was certified through Kripalu’s world renowned yoga teacher training program in 2009 and then went on to gain 500 hour certifications through both Yoga Medicine and Jason Crandell. She has also studied extensively with Dr. Ray Long, author of The Key Muscles of Yoga: Scientific Keys and other revolutionary guides to anatomy and yoga, Amy Ipolliti, author of X, Tracy Stanley, author of Radiant Rest ( and Oprah’s Yoga Nidra teacher) , and many more. She is currently completing her Ayurveda Certification through Kathleen Templeton’s Three Wisdom Tradition and Yoga International’s program.
Sara is also a teacher. She has master’s degrees in both Comparative Literature and Communications and has taught everywhere from Universities to the Theatre of Youth. Her studio and her trainings reflect her belief in pedagogy or proven approaches to learning, and she has 30 years experience doing just that.
Sara has also worked for 20 years as a professional writer and program developer. Her work resulted in an average of three multimillion dollar grants for the large Community Behavioral Health center she worked for. The YTT curriculum and program reflects this skill. It is clear and concise with specific learning goals, content, application and results.
Of course she is also the founder of Shine and believes deeply in the power of yoga to impact people’s lives in large and small ways. Her goal is for this program to change your life.
“The whole experience far exceeded my expectations. I feel more confident on the mat. I have learned to relax into my poses. I absolutely love teaching and can’t wait to do it some more all because of Sara’s training. Sara has gone above and beyond.”
Connie L.
